8 The Trial (2)

Mike and Roblin are not brought back to their cell but are instead brought into a nice room with a table and lunch on it. The lunch consisted of sandwiches, chicken, fruit drinks, watermelon, and a strawberry cake. Mike's stomach rumbles at the sight of food as he has not had food for a few days and Roblin looks at the food hungry as well.

"The food won't eat itself if all you do is look at it you know"

From behind them, the judge appears and takes a seat at the table while motioning for Mike and Roblin to do the same as well. Without any more of an invitation, Mike and Roblin sit at the table before gorging themselves on the food. The judge does not look surprised at this but eats as well but with more etiquette as she eats. Seeing how the judge is acting Mike realized that stuffing his face with sandwiches and watermelon was probably not the best impression to give a judge who will decide their penalty if deemed guilty.

So Mike begins to eat with a bit more etiquette instead. Roblin, however, does not care for etiquette and continues to stuff food into his mouth as if he may never get such a meal in his life again, which may actually be true if they are deemed guilty. They all eat in silence until all the food is now gone from the table. Roblin's stomach has a sizable bump in it now and he pats it with contempt as he forgets about the worries from a few minutes ago. Mike looks at the judge with a confused look on his face as usually judges in his world would never meet with a judge while they were in recess.

The judge looks at Mike and smiles.

"Now I guess you may be wondering as to why I am meeting you both here without any guards hmm?"

Mike nods and Roblin falls asleep

"Yes your honor I am a bit curious as to why you bothered to meet us even though we are on trial"

"Please we are not in court anymore you don't have to call me your honor, call me Samantha"

"Well then Samantha why are you here talking with us is that not improper or harmful to you?"

At this Samantha chuckles a bit at this before answering.

"Why yes it is improper for someone who is on trial to meet with the judge but this is a strange case, to say the least, so I would like to hear what you have to say about the matter"

Mike thinks this over for a bit before deciding to give an abridged and less detail-oriented story of what happened. (I am too lazy to type out the entire thing so Mike basically tells her how Mike's spider-sense activated which resulted in him scouring the tavern to find what was wrong. Mike then found Roblin and the bomb in the attic and that is how he saved everyone. yay). After the story, Samantha ponders over the story.

13

After pondering over the story Mike laid out Samantha looks at Mike and smiles at him.

"Well, the people in the tavern that night owe you a debt of gratitude for the heroic act you have done Mr. Bridlington. However, you both are still on trial and so I cannot do anything major except give you both minor sentences if found guilty"

Even though that may not seem like much Mike was still heaving a sigh of relief for the problem of getting a terrible sentence being gone. There was still something that was not sitting right with Mike though and seeing as how the judge was here he might as well ask her.

"Samantha who does Mr. Robinson represent?"

Hearing this Samantha's face darkens considerably at the mention of his name.

"Mr. Robinson will only represent one person in the entire city"

"Who?"

"The mayor of this city Ronald McDonald"

"..."

Mike is dumbfounded by this as he has no idea why the mayor of the city would have his own lawyer take part in this trial. Samantha sees Mike's confused and dumbfounded face.

"I know it can be confusing but there is a simple reason behind this"

"What?"

"Your friend over there," She says as she points at the fast asleep Roblin

"What... why?"

"Our city mayor is a racist to the bone plain and simple. To make an example out of the races in the city whenever there is a trial involving a non-human he tends to stick his nose in it. Usually, he has the judges induce hard punishments on those convicted guilty or plants evidence against them. He is a desirable man who will burn in the nine-hells for his actions in life"

Mike shivers as he hears the deeds this man has done.

'Ding'

...

New quest available

...

Exposure of the truth:

You now know that the mayor of Irondale city has been abusing his power and has been oppressing the non-human races. Now it is time to decide what you will do with this information.

Rewards: Class level up/advancement card, 10,000 exp, and 1,000 Irondale population favorability

Possible tasks:

[Kill Mayor Roland] +10,000 exp and -1,000 kingdom favorability

[Expose Roland's crimes] +8,000 exp and +250 kingdom favorability

Failure conditions: Unable to complete any of the tasks within the next month

...

Looking at the mission given Mike would definitely be willing to kill the mayor but there were two factors holding him back. One was that if he were to kill the mayor he would probably be wanted by the authorities for most of his life thereafter. Secondly, if he would have to kill a person by assassination then he would be no better than that scum bag Roland. So, of course, being a kinda good person Mike was going to instead ruin the entire reputation of Roland to end everything he holds dear. Okay putting it like that but hey he has it coming to him.

Looking at how he was now gonna have to get the evidence after the trial the fact that the trial had yet to finish Mike could not help but shiver at this. Looking back at Samatha it seemed that she also went into a sort of far off gaze as well.

"So what will happen now?"

Samantha breaks from her gaze and says

"You will have to defend him and yourself now to prove your innocence to the jury"

"Well, that is easier said than done" Roblin mumbles as he sits up in his chair.

"Your awake?" Mike asks

"Never slept"

Mike looks at Roblin once more as the little goblin tries to make it seem like he is meant to sit in a regular chair. He almost looked like a little green baby trying to sit with the adults. Mike wanted to laugh at that thought but knew it would be rude. Samantha stands up and they follow suit.

"Now we never talked you two just waited in here without anyone else got it"

They both nod at that.

"Excellent well than see you two in court and good luck"

Samantha leaves the room from another door and soon after some guards enter and they are both led out of the room by their chains. They walk back down the hallway and enter the courtroom hopefully for the last time. Mike is led back to his usual place to defend himself and Roblin against Mr. Robinson's allegations.

Soon Mr. Robinson appears as well and takes his place. There was also a group of people standing off to the side who were guarded but for their protection or to keep them there Mike has no idea. Then Samantha appears once more and takes a seat at the judge's stand in her black silk robe.

"The court shall now continue the case against Mr. Roblin and Mr. Bridlington for attempting to blow up the 'Knight's Tankard in. Mr. Robinson, you have the floor"

At this, Mr. Robinson steps forward and in an exaggerated fashion says.

"I call upon witness #38 to the stand"

When he says this a man is brought forth by the guards and put into the witness stand.

"Please state your name sir," a guard says

"M-my name is Fredrick Rogers"

Mr. Robinson steps forward towards the man.

"Now then Mr. Rogers where were you on the night of the incident?"

"I was at my shop sir"

"What did you see"

"Well I sees that goblin right there in the middle of the night there sneaking into the tavern with the bomb in his hands"

"Thank you, Mr. Rogers, that will be all"

Mike cannot help but roll his eyes as Mr. Robinson walks away from the witness stand.

"Mr. Bridlington you now have the floor"

Mike waits until the guards unshackle him before walking to the stand.

"Now then Mr. Rogers you say that this goblin here snuck into the inn to blow it up that is correct?"

"Yes it is"

"What was the goblin wearing?"

"He was wearing clothes he is now?"

"Then I presume that you got a good look at the bomb then?"

"Er... no, I did not"

"So you say that you saw exactly what he was wearing but did not see the bomb?"

"Well he was hiding it"

"Then how did you see it in the first place? Also, why did you not alert the guards when you first saw the bomb in his possession?"

"Erm... well..."

The man looks obviously flustered as he realizes that he was backed into a corner.

"I have no further questions for him, your honor"

Mike says as he walls back to his stand Mr. Robinson was staring daggers into him. Mr. Rogers is led off the witness stand and is allowed to leave.